More than R810-million has been stolen in about 3 400 cash-in-transit robberies in South Africa since 2000, the Mercury reported on Tuesday.
Its website said these figures emerged on Monday in the Durban Regional Court in response to bail applications by 26 men charged with two robberies in the Umfolozi area.
The state used an affidavit from Anton Widd, general manager of the violent crime office of the South African Banking Risk Information Centre, to oppose the bail bid.
In the document, Widd said this year alone — up until October — saw 468 incidents involving more than R86-million.
Last year, there had been 520 reported incidents with a cash loss of almost R200-million.
Going back to the year 2000, there had been between 400 and 560 heists each year with between R88-million and R140-million stolen.
Widd said: ”It stands to reason that any threat, trauma or losses for the industry will have a direct influence on the economy. The ripple effect goes without saying.”
The 26 accused were travelling in four vehicles when they were arrested last month at the Mvoti Toll Plaza.
It emerged in that 21 of them had previous convictions or cases pending against them. — Sapa